DECEMBER DREAMS

Scintillating icy stars and snow bow prisms on winter sky edge

Mistletoe kisses! Oh! Jolly surprises

Mottled sky in winter's rasp with rolling clouds of deep pewter

Rime glistens on gnarled twigs of silhouetted willow wands cluster

To pirouette in my ivory gown of tiffany lace and silver-toed ballerina slipper

December dream wishes of shine and shimmer

Listening to Larch and Alder trees whispering charming fairy tales

Whilst munching on gingerbread cookies and rum-raisin cakes soaking in citrus glaze

Winter moon brightens silver-blue skies– a lustrous opaline chandelier

We sip mulled plum wine while caroling around a toasty bonfire

Ivy vines and eucalyptus wreaths perfuming every corner

Cranberry garlands decor the mantel, in crystal vases stand bouquets of lavender

Fragrant pines are sequined with baubles, trinkets and star-spangled glitter,

Peppermint candy canes, tinsel and fairy light tassels adorn fragrant cedar

Festoons of bonny lambs of downy fleece around stollens loaded with nuts and candied peels

Trays are laden with macadamia panettone and marzipans dusted with royal icing sugar

We feast on decadent Brownie fudge sundae drizzled with brandy

And snowmen of shredded coconut holding sticks of pink cotton candy

Clinking glasses and toasting with shakes eggnog

Around fireplaces crackling with hickory logs

I dream of riding along with Santa Claus in his reindeer sleigh

To the North Pole singing Ho-Ho-Ho all the way !

©️ Sangeetha Kamath

Pic Courtesy:Image by Alan from Pixabay

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ANAM CARA

The waves are soft and frothy. Laced with gossamer frills tenderly kissing the tips of my toes covered with the grainy sand of the rugged seashore where I'm sitting, wistful. A gust of briny breeze tousles my hair as I gaze as far as my eyes can see. A flock of terns wheel overhead, their sharp, shrill cries punctuating the air as they dive and swoop over the surfs. A lone frigate bird , its crimson belly dazzling like a jewel skims majestically above, its long, slender wings outstretched as it rides the thermals high above the ocean. I absorb the sights and sounds of the late afternoon while absentmindedly scooping seashells beside me. As the afternoon phases, the furthest rim of the ocean is fringed in a gilded hem and the sleepy sun yawns, its dipping glow streaking the sky in a mellow tangerine and warm cherry. As I continue sitting there, the ships and yachts appear --specks of light from the portholes glimmering in the distance, reminding me of the phrase “That ship has sai...

BOKETTO

In my quiet moments, I pause the world from its frantic pace. In that stillness, I wistfully gaze into the distance and just let things unfurl as they please. I let my thoughts flow, absorbing nothing. Internalizing nothing. And just like that, the strands of tightly woven twine untangle and the knots come loose. Today, as usual, I found myself caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily grind. I was rushing to get things done, stressing about deadlines, and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks on my to-do list. But then, I took a deliberate pause. With a deep breath, I stretched, stepped away from my desk, and walked out onto my balcony. Leaning on the railing, I looked down at the familiar lanes of my neighborhood, twirling around the corners behind the blocks of apartments. The park and playground stood deserted at noon amid the cluster of flowering trees and surrounded by the hedges lining the curbs. I gazed at the sky, feeling the warm sun on my face and ...

ARIEL AND BLUE-BLOOD SHOES

The waves crashed violently against the craggy mountainside and the moonlight shone on the lacy froths. As I waded through the water and stepped on the wet sand, I remembered another night which was many moons ago. The same glinting lights through the palace doorways and windows, the fireworks adorning the night sky like shooting stars and meteors. A royal celebration with all the works and the guests dressed up in their best finery and aristocratic jewelry. Of noble births they all were. Blue blooded as the matriarch had pointedly told me once. That unholy night! That night of icy hearts and howling laughter, the echoes of cackling that followed me till I ran on wobbly legs to find my place of comfort where the land met water… Hot tears streaming down, I regretted those days when I lost my heart to a man so spineless. Had I not dragged him to the shore, he would have been a mangled mass after being torn apart by the piranhas and other monstrous maws. How I regret…Oh!...

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HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE

The sleek steel grey landline with it's cordless handset gleams in the mid morning sunlight. It's only a fixture on the tabletop these past several years yet loved and flaunted for old times sake. Also, for the numerous times the handset had nestled in our palms. The vintage feel of it and the stronghold of memories I associate it with beats the smartphone by miles. It has in turn been a confidante of our precious moments, some idling talk, some annoyance oh yes ! and all before Whatsapp made an entry into our lives and the poor dear was no longer in demand. The world was at our fingertips. It doesn't complain, doesn't whimper, not even a sigh, murmur or a slightest hint at a whisper of life for the past decade and more! Except… On Thursday the daylights were socked out of me! Lost in mundane chores, I had my gloved hands deep in a pile of soapy water scrubbing away at the breakfast dishes. The usual swell of silence was harshly rend by the landline from the livin...

Sangeetha Kamath

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